


Safe

by ShaneShenanigans



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Face-Fucking, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Rough Oral Sex, Smut, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 12:49:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7172441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShaneShenanigans/pseuds/ShaneShenanigans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was no mistake that he and Sanji were closer lately, but it didn't mean anything beyond that. Sanji always went out of his way to help the others on the crew, and he had for Usopp multiple times. It was just another reason on the list of reasons that it was impossible not to be in love with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

> So, this kind of happened over the course of ah erm, a week or something. I just kind of started sputtering out little drabbles of moments and instances between these two, and then eventually realized they fit together pretty well, so I sewed it together with a bit of plot.
> 
> In the beginning of this fic, Usopp has been captured by a band of pirates who resent the Strawhats for cutting the Donquixote off from the weapon market. And of course, God Usopp in particular. There's not a lot of focus on them and I barely mention why they took Usopp or how it happened. I'm hoping this doesn't take away from the story, I just didn't feel like it was incredibly important as the focus is more on the recovery than the incident itself. If this were a full length fic I would have delved into that a little more, but I wanted a strong focus on Sanji and Usopp's relationship developing.
> 
> Normally I see Sanji and Usopp as getting together really early in their adventure-- after Alabasta, in fact. But this is just one possibility among many that I wanted to write. I'm a sucker for get-together stories, and I love writing them too.
> 
> Shoutout to rainripplesdailythoughts.tumblr.com for betaing this fic! I honestly couldn't have posted this so confidently without their help!

He heard the footsteps upstairs and the clanking as the old trap door opened and closed. He knew that sound, he’d heard it many times before, and it became more and more terrifying every time. Inside he started to quake with fear, but his limp body didn't shift an inch. He couldn't so much as lift his head off the damp floor than flee or attempt to hide. His energy was gone, he was barely conscious and sure that he was dying, but he knew he had to hold on.  
  
He went over in his mind all the reasons they could have been coming. A week ago he might’ve hoped they’d throw scraps of food at him like they had a few times before. Just chicken and fish bones with meet still on them, and sometimes rotting apple cores, but it was still edible. It was still food. But now it didn’t matter if they were coming to feed him or beat him. He couldn’t so much as cry out in pain, let alone eat.  
  
The footsteps down the ladder sounded frantic, and he heard voices he couldn’t believe. They were familiar, urgent, angry… loud… he listened closer and heard crashes, screaming. He used every ounce of energy he had to pry his eyes open, and that was when he saw feet coming toward him.  
  
"Usopp!" The voice sounded familiar. _Another dream?_  
  
"Usopp, wake up!" Whoever it was was touching him roughly, shaking him, and he wanted to ask them to stop, it was too much. But he felt like he was fading.  
  
"You're alive." The relief in the voice, a female voice... _familiar..._  
  
_Nami?_  
  
He forced his eyes open further despite everything. He wanted to see her face, he wanted it to be true.  
  
"He's okay!" She shouted, but he was too busy trying to see her to hear what she said or who she was talking to. "Zoro!"  She called back.  
  
Not a moment later, his body was moving, but not by his own accord. He’d been lifted off the ground, and he was being carried gently in someone's arms.  
  
"It'll be okay, Usopp."  
  
_Nami..._    
  
_"We're getting you out of here."_  
  
o-o-o-o-o  
  
He woke up and it was soft. It... the surface under him, it was soft. That wasn’t what his nightmares had suggested, but it was comfortable, and the pain was so much less. There was something else soft too, and it tickled his face until he was able to cringe away.  
  
He heard a small moan as he unburied himself from the soft but tickling fluff, and watched the small mass of brown move next to his head.  
  
"Hn?" Chopper rubbed his eyes before they widened in alert. He'd been awoken by movement, but Sanji was asleep across the room, so it couldn’t have been him. Had Usopp moved?  
  
"Usopp?" He asked, tentatively at first, and then saw Usopp's closed eyes crease at the brow, as if the sounds of Chopper’s voice has irritated him. "Usopp!" Chopper cried out, so loud that it woke up Sanji, who'd been asleep in the lounge chair in the corner of the room.  
  
"Chopper?" Sanji shot forward straight out of his sleep, smashing a frantic hand against his eyeball to rub at it less than a second after he'd opened them. He jumped up immediately and stumbled over to the bed where Usopp lay.  
  
"He's awake! Chopper said. He hadn't seen Usopp's eyes yet, but he was sure of it!  
  
"Usopp?" Sanji called out, with more urgency than he'd meant to. But Usopp had been unconscious for three days since they found him, and seeing him move again was all any of them wanted.  
  
Usopp's head was pounding, and he felt exhausted, like he wanted to sleep for days. There were faint, muffled voices around him now, and he recognized them both clearly.  
  
"Usopp, please wake up." That was Chopper.  
  
"Usopp!" And that was...  
  
...Usopp opened his eyes, and found a wood ceiling in a dimly lit room.  
  
"Usopp!" Chopper's face appeared in his line of sight. "He's awake!"  
  
"All right!" Sanji's voice again, but Usopp didn't want to turn his head to the side and look. Every inch of him was sore and felt... weighed down. He heard footsteps and then a door closing. Had Sanji left him already?  
  
"Sanji?" Usopp felt the need to question it.  
  
"He's getting you some food!" Chopper said. "I've been feeding you nutrients through your bloodstream. You were starved."  
  
"Food?" He liked the sound of that.  
  
"Here." Chopper said, and started to rummage around somewhere, before coming back Usopp's sight with a plate of rice balls.  
  
"There are more of them." Chopper said as he held them out. "There's a lot, actually. We overdid it so you'd have plenty when you woke up... But Sanji's making you something fresh, too... so..." Chopper trailed off as he held them out eagerly for Usopp to take.  
  
Usopp lifted one hand as he felt his stomach shake with him. He was surprised he could move his arm, but the food helped increase his drive. He reached out slowly to touch one, and then take it.  
  
"Eat slow, okay?" Chopper said. "I know you're hungry, but--"  
  
Usopp shoved the entire thing in his mouth, and then reached for the second one, then third, then fourth...  
  
"Wait! That's too fast!" Chopper objected, eyes bulging. Soon after, the door slammed open  
  
"Usopp!" It was Nami. And he remembered at the sound of it that hers was the first voice he heard when they came for him. The six of them poured into the room... Zoro, who he was pretty sure carried him out. Luffy... of course Luffy had been there, he'd probably beat the crap out of every one of those pirates! Robin, who smiled, Franky, Brook...  
  
"Guys..." Usopp said, eyes tearing up with a mouthful of rice. "I knew you'd come for me,” he cried, still stuffing his face.  
  
Luffy had his arms crossed proudly as he laughed. "Of course!" He said.  
  
"You're finally awake!" Nami threw her hands down at his bedside and leaned over him. He shifted away because he was sure she was going to hug him like she had when they met up again at Sabaody, but right now that sounded painful.  
  
She seemed to stop herself as if noticing that he’d flinched away, and settled for leaning over the bed. "You're okay?" She said, but it sounded like a question. She wanted to hear it from him.  
  
He gave the best smile he could after swallowing the food down-- even though it hurt like hell to swallow. The look on hers and the others faces was sheer relief.  
  
"I feel okay,” he said, and then gave a shrug. "How..." he started, and then stopped himself, looking down at his lap. "How long...?" He had no way of keeping track of time while he was there. It felt like months.  
  
"You were asleep for three days..." Chopper spoke softly.  
  
"And...?" Usopp asked eagerly. Chopper looked down.  
  
“...almost four weeks." Nami finally said, softly. "We're so sorry..." she looked away, as if unable to meet his eyes.  
  
"Sorry for what? Rescuing me?" Usopp shot her a smile, and she returned it with a painful one.  
  
"For not being there sooner,” Zoro said, soft but firm, like he needed to get it out.  
  
"I took care of them,” Luffy said, wearing a hard expression that Usopp rarely saw on him outside of fights. "They're sunk."  
  
Usopp's heart started to beat faster, and all he could say to that was "Thank you."  
  
"No need." Luffy nodded firmly, then he grinned. "Get better, okay?"  
  
"I'm already better!" Usopp lifted one arm to flex a little too quickly and cringed immediately. It felt like he'd pulled a muscle.  
  
Robin laughed behind her hand. "Nice to have you back,” she said.  
  
"Robin decided to use this opportunity to return a favor." Franky spoke up, crossing his arms with a smile as if proud. "As soon as the ship was in sight, she burnt down all of their flags."  
  
Usopp snickered, and smiled. "You guys really took it out on them..." he said. He couldn't say he wasn't happy they'd gone so far for him. But he was, more than anything, just glad to be back.  
  
"Sunk ‘em," Luffy confirmed once more.  
  
He hadn't gotten to see the one face he'd been seeing most in his head those long, painful four weeks. The one that kept him going.  
  
"Chopper, did you say Sanji was cooking me something?" Usopp asked.  
  
Chopper nodded. "He wanted to start as soon as you woke up so you wouldn't have to wait long, so he slept here every night,” he said. "As soon as he saw how malnourished you were he was frantic and desperate about feeding you, but you wouldn't wake up."  
  
"Along with Chopper, he's barely left this room since he brought you back,” Nami added.  
  
Usopp felt especially warm about that when he heard it. Not that he really would've expected anything less from Sanji given his history with starving people, but it made his heart beat a little bit faster.  
  
Only a few moments later, the door to the medical room opened again, and Usopp was almost sure he smelled it before he heard it. The rest of the crew side-stepped to make way as Sanji walked in, Luffy already starting to drool, but surprisingly appeared fairly self-restrained for the time being. Sanji approached the medical bed with one cautious eye on him, and then turned to Usopp once he got close enough.  
  
“Dinner," He said, nonchalantly in comparison to the size of the feast he'd brought. The tray looked too big to fit on the bed.  
  
"Wow!" Usopp explained. He could barely see Sanji's face over the stacked food and extravagant presentation. It appeared as if there was a little bit of everything Usopp liked best. He was surprised Sanji remembered so many of his favorite foods.  
  
Luffy had started to move in a little closer as Sanji carefully set the tray down over Usopp's lap.  
  
“Luffy," Sanji spoke firmly as he took a cigarette into his lips. "This food is for Usopp. We'll eat in the dining room soon."  
  
"Of course I know that!" Luffy said as if offended, even as he contradicted himself by slowly reaching an arm toward the tray.  
  
"What's your hand doing then?" Zoro murmured.  
  
"It's okay, let him have some,” Usopp said. "The doctor says I should take it slow with eating for now, right?" Usopp shot a grin to Chopper.  
  
"Idiot! Don't think calling me Doctor's gonna make me happy!" He started in a shout but then fell forward against the bed and flailed his little arms around before covering his eyes in flattered embarrassment.  
  
"Thanks Usopp!" Luffy said, and when Usopp looked back to him, he had massive chipmunk cheeks.  
  
"Not that much!" Usopp shouted and then started to shovel food into his mouth before Luffy got to any more of it.  
  
"That's too fast!" Chopper sprung up to scold him.  
  
Sanji took a seat back in the lounge chair that had been his uncomfortable bed for three days. He smiled as he watched everything go back to normal, a little sore and a little tired. He was glad Usopp seemed so okay. He wasn't the only one who'd been worried there would be deeper scars, but he looked like he was doing well for now.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
Usopp stayed bedridden for one more day, but it wasn't long before his limbs lost their fatigue and he couldn't stay in bed anymore. It was a little hard to push himself up and keep himself upright on his feet, but it felt good when he succeeded. He stumbled a little with his first steps, but by the time he made it to the door, walking was completely natural again.  
  
He smelled food, and breathed the scent in deeply. He was up earlier than the others normally would have been, but Sanji often woke up early to make sure breakfast was ready. Usopp wondered if he could help, since he normally overslept. He felt so energetic, it must've been the miracle of Chopper's skills. And more than that, he'd missed his crew and the ship. He didn’t want to sleep through another minute of this.  
  
He peeked into the kitchen and saw Sanji there at the sink, mixing something in a large bowl next to it. He looked like he always did, intuition and flow in every touch, turn and step. Usopp had watched him cook a thousand times and the extravagance of the creations never quite managed to outshine the gracefulness of the cook himself. He never told Sanji that, for fear it might’ve been less of compliment than Usopp meant it as.  
  
But Sanji always looked so passionate, enthusiastic, and at home. Most of the time it was subtle, his face was focused and blank. But then he’d smile occasionally, his eyes would narrow or widen. Sometimes he'd even murmur something to himself or hum a short tune for a while.  
  
Usopp missed Sanji's food, but he missed Sanji more.  
  
As if on cue, Sanji turned around, and immediately spotted Usopp standing in the doorway, quietly looking on.  
  
His eyes widened. "You're up!" He said, grinning ecstatically. Usopp thought for a moment that he should get kidnapped more often if it meant seeing that face directed at him each time.  
  
"I couldn't stay in bed anymore." Usopp said as he walked in, nonchalantly picking at the bandage on his arm where Chopper had recently removed the tube he'd been fed with. "I was wondering if you need any help with anything?"  
  
Sanji considered for a moment, tilting his head at the almost unexpected question. "...Can you grate potatoes?" He asked.  
  
"Are you kidding!" Usopp cackled as he waltzed directly over to where he'd cleverly already seen the bowl of peeled potatoes and a second bowl next to it. "I grated a million potatoes a day back on Boin Archipelago!" He picked up a potato, and then a strange utensil that was nearby, and frowned at it.  
  
"How do I use this?" He mumbled, having no idea what grating a potato actually meant.  
  
"I'm making hash browns." Sanji said as he approached, putting his hands on top of both of Usopp's as they held both the utensil and a potato. Usopp froze, because Sanji was right behind him, and his hands were incredibly soft and uncalloused, and surprisingly cold to the touch. He took a deep breath as Sanji casually adjusted the utensil in his right hand, and then simulated how he should do the shaving.  
  
"Make sure it's not too thick, but don't worry too much otherwise,” he said, and then released Usopp's hands to allow him to try on his own. Usopp swallowed hard and started to do just what Sanji had.  
  
“So, I'm guessing you being helpful in the kitchen isn't going to last that long?” Sanji said idly.  
  
Usopp shrugged. “Well, I was just kind of bored because I couldn't sleep,” he grinned over his shoulder guiltily at Sanji. "I don't think I'd have the patience most days."  
  
"Well, I appreciate it while it lasts." Sanji said. Usopp had to admit that he could get use to the casual conversation with Sanji, though. Normally he had more fun fooling around with Chopper or Luffy and he was definitely looking forward to that. But this was nice. He felt relaxed, and at peace.  
  
That was, until his hand slipped, and he grated his knuckles, and they immediately started to bleed on the potato he was holding, and into the bowl of work he'd already done.  
  
Sanji didn't notice at first. He simply saw something red from the corner of his eye, and turned to look to see Usopp just staring at his hand as blood dripped onto the bits of potato that were ready to be prepared.  
  
"Usopp!" He shouted, rushing over, and taking his hand by the wrist. "You're bleeding!" He said, but he didn't know how Usopp could have not known, could have not reacted more strongly. It must’ve hurt…  
  
When he touched Usopp, he realized he was shaking. When he looked closer at his hands, he noticed that they were covered in tiny scars and scratch marks.  
  
_He dragged his fingers hard against the wooden floor, ignoring the splinters, the bleeding tips, when his nails bent and bled under the pressure and he pulled himself in the darkness against the confines of the chains with his knuckles until they bled too…_  
  
"Usopp!" Sanji was shouting, holding Usopp's bleeding hand in a dish cloth, trying to bring him home from whatever awful place he'd flashed back to.  
  
"Hey, Usopp!" He was still shaking, and his sweat had almost soaked through his shirt, he was breathing so hard Sanji worried he was going to start choking on his own air.  
  
"Look at me,” Sanji took his face in his hands and raised it so their eyes met. "You're safe!" He said, panicked but firm. "You're home!"  
  
Usopp breathed in sharply at the sight of him. His hand hurt. He looked at it. Sanji was holding it, and it was wrapped. He looked behind Sanji. ...He'd bled all over the food and counter.  
  
"Sorry..." He said, and felt the guilt, but he wanted all of this. He wanted to apologize to Sanji, to see the Sunny's kitchen, to feel his hand stinging because he'd cut it himself. He needed to keep himself _here._  
  
"Don't be sorry, it's fine." Sanji's voice helped. "Just calm down, you're okay." He said. It was then that Usopp noticed how hard Sanji was breathing. There were sweat droplets on his brow.  
  
"Sorry..." Usopp said again, feeling awful at the sight of Sanji's fear-struck eyes. "I flashed back,” he placed his hand against his forehead, and steadied his own breath.  
  
"I saw, and stop apologizing,” Sanji said, calmer now. "You're here again. You should see Chopper about your hand.” He was worried about how much Usopp had bled.  
  
Usopp nodded slowly.  
  
"I'll take you to him and get him up,” Sanji offered, and turned off the stove quickly before he began ushering Usopp out of the kitchen.    
  
Usopp nodded again as he complied to being lead out. He was beginning to feel light-headed, apparently still fairly weak, and he was losing blood in addition to it. He focused on walking so he wouldn't have to lean on Sanji on the way back down.  
  
o-o-o-o-o  
  
Chopper was thankfully already awake. They found him in the medical quarters, working casually with some of the usual medicinal stocking at his desk. Nami was there too, sitting the lounge chair with a magazine. The sky was clear outside, but she only sat there when she knew it was going to rain soon. She peaked up from the paper when they walked in, just as Chopper turned to look as well.  
  
"What happened?" He saw the bloody rag and jumped down from his chair to rush to Usopp's side, turning himself big on his way so he could see it up close. "The scars were all healing!" Usopp let him take the hand in his own and begin to unwrap it.  
  
"It's new,” Usopp said, sheepishly. "I grated my own hand."  
  
"Sanji!" Chopper gasped, as if to offer blame.  
  
"Sorry, Doctor." Sanji rubbed the back of his neck. "It won't happen again."  
  
"It looks okay... just needs bandaging,” Chopper said. "One second." He turned small again and hurried across the room back to his supplies.  
  
"I'm going to clean up the kitchen and finish breakfast,” Sanji said, stepping back from Usopp, who he'd still been closely escorting to a degree. Usopp immediately missed the closeness, and shrunk a little.  
  
"See you when it's ready." Sanji said, as Usopp looked back at him over his shoulder.  
  
"See-ya." Usopp replied simply. He watched Sanji leave.  
  
When he turned back, he noticed Nami's slightly narrowed eyes on him from behind the newspaper. He looked down at his bleeding hand, because he couldn't meet her eyes.  
  
_She knew things._  
  
Chopper returned to his side to clean and disinfect the wound, and it was a welcome distraction.    
  
"Leave this on for at least the rest of the day." Chopper said as he wrapped the hand tightly in gauze. "And please take it easy. No more sharp stuff..."  
  
"I'll do my best,” Usopp answered with some nonchalance as he brought the bandaged hand up to his eyes. "I'll see you guys at breakfast." With that, he turned to leave.  
  
o-o-o  
  
At breakfast, everyone had been surprised but pleased to see Usopp out of bed. They paid him special attention, asking him how his recovery was going. He noted that none of them dare touch the subject of what happened to him, not even Luffy. Usopp wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  
  
After they ate, it seemed each and every one of them offered him their company. Franky asked him what he was working on when he pulled out his ammo ingredients. Sanji brought snacks. Robin sat and watched him with interest while Nami made idle conversation and asked what everything was. Brook offered to play background music, though he declined because he’d been having enough trouble focusing. Luffy and Chopper dragged him away from his work to play, and Zoro woke up just to shout at them for being to rough in case he was still injured.  
  
It was obvious they were all happy to have him back, and maybe just a little anxious over making sure he wasn't kidnapped again.    
  
He appreciated it, and he especially appreciated the company after four weeks of being alone. It set his mind at ease when he was with them, and he was almost able to forget it happened.  
  
After dinner that evening, however, he was a little exhausted from the attention. He left the washroom almost cautiously, hoping to find some alone time before he went to sleep.  
  
He could hear some of the others still laughing in the kitchen, so he chose to climb to the upper decks at the stern.  
  
“Hey," Nami greeted him before he saw her.  
  
"Oh." Usopp said, blinking. He was surprised to find her here.  
  
"Don't look so happy to see me,” She pushed the hair out of her face that had been kicked up by the harsh wind. It seemed like a storm was on its way, but if it was going to be bad, she would have said something by now.  
  
"Sorry." He said. He didn't mind if it was just Nami, really. Letting out a bit of an exasperated sigh, he crossed the deck and leaned against the railing next to her.  
  
"You okay?" She asked, arms crossed over her chest, the wind again blowing her hair across her face before she pushed it behind her ear.  
  
Usopp couldn't help just frowning at the ground. He didn't know what to say, and he didn't really want to be asked that right now.  
  
"Usopp?" Nami prodded gently.  
  
“Sorry," Usopp said again. "Guess I'm still recovering." He sighed, tightening his arms around himself.  
  
"I'm not surprised." Nami said, her voice soft and meaningful. "It was obvious just from the shape you were in that you'd been through hell."  
  
Usopp shook at her words, tensing more, fists clenching. “They weren’t even…” he started, then stopped. “It wasn’t even like they were trying to hurt me. They were taking me— I don’t know, I guess they thought they were taking me to Doflamingo, but he’s imprisoned so maybe they were just morons.” He slowly wrapped his arms around himself. “Anyway, it was like I was a dog that they were slowly allowing to die. Half the time it seemed like they forgot I existed.”  “I couldn’t hear anything that went on unless they came down into the brig, so I don’t know anything, I barely know what they wanted.” He shook himself out of the memories as best he could before something akin to what happened that morning with Sanji happened again.  
He shouldn’t have been thinking about it this much anyway, it didn’t matter. Luffy sunk them, and they were gone, and it was over. There was nothing to resent.  
  
"I'm so sorry,” she said, and her hand gently touched his arm. He flinched at first, but then relaxed. “We all are.”  
  
"I want to forget about it,” he said. All he wanted was for it to be over. Everything was back to normal now, he just wanted to stop thinking about it.  
  
"I know,” Nami said. "If you need anything-"  
  
"Don't act different,” Usopp interrupted. "Don't offer me special privileges or... tell me you're here for me. I already know that so just..." he took a deep breath, then let it out. "Can you just act normal?"  
  
Nami forced a painful smile as she looked at him. "Of course." She nodded, and he forced a smile back. He hated that this was so hard.  
  
"Nami-san!" Sanji sung as he ascended the staircase. "I've been looking all over for you!" He was carrying some tall glasses on a small tray. There were only two of them, but they looked like some sort of fancy milkshake.  
  
"Do you want red velvet, or chocolate?" He asked, holding them out to her.  
  
"Wow thanks, looks great!" She said as she took the one with the red swirls, and brought the straw to her lips. “Thank you!”  
  
"Leaves you with the last chocolate.” Sanji then moved the tray in Usopp's direction, and he blinked. He'd assumed this was another one of those instances where Sanji just spontaneously made a little something extra for the ladies.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that's fine. Thank you,” he said as he took it. He would have chosen chocolate anyway.  
  
Once the tray was empty, Sanji leaned against the rail next to Usopp.  
  
So much for being alone.  
  
"How's the hand?” Sanji asked, as Usopp took a sip of the shake. It was delicious.  
  
"Doesn't sting anymore." Usopp held up his bandaged hand and wiggled his fingers, grinning a little. “I almost forgot it happened.”  
  
“Good to know.” Sanji said as he bowed his head to light up a cigarette and shield the flame from the wind. “Obviously I feel partially responsible,” He said. “I should have known not to trust a shitty long-nose with such a task.” He sighed.  
  
“Hey…” Usopp huffed.  
  
“Anyway, Usopp. I'm sorry,” Sanji said, his voice a little too low, a little too sincere, and Usopp was sure he wasn’t talking about the potato accident anymore.  
  
He sighed harshly, and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m going to bed. I woke up too early.” He said, frustrated, and feeling bad because he knew Sanji would be confused by the reaction. But he was sick of all their guilt, and he especially didn’t want that from Sanji.  
  
So with that, he stalked off, and made his way to the men’s sleeping quarters, kicking the grass almost childishly on the way.  
  
“…Sorry,” Nami said to Sanji as she watched him stare after Usopp, wide-eyed, as if wondering what he’d done wrong. “He told me about sixty seconds ago that he didn’t want apologies,” She said.  
  
“No, no!” Sanji shook the look off his face and waved her off with a forced smile. “It’s fine. That makes sense,” he bowed his head. “I’m sure he’s heard the same recycled sorries all day long…” he mumbled.  
  
“It’s just going to take a while no matter what,” Nami replied, hugging herself as her eyes shifted to the ground. She could tell Sanji had been set a little on edge. But, no, actually, he’d been on edge all day. He’d been on edge ever since Usopp was taken, it didn’t stop when he got back. “We all feel awful, but it’s the worst for him.”  
  
“Yeah…” Sanji nodded gently.  
  
“It’s good that you’re looking out for him, though, regardless,” Nami said, a little off-handedly. “He probably appreciates that from you more than anyone.” With that, she pushed off the railing and casually started to stroll back toward the stairs to the main deck.  
  
Sanji watched after her, blinking. He could have sworn there was some sort of suggestion in her words.  
  
“You should head inside,” she tossed back idly. “It’s going to rain again soon.”  
  
He bit down frustratedly on his cigarette, leaned hard against the railing, and looked up at the dark, clouded sky.  
  
Regardless, it wasn’t as if worrying about Usopp was really anything new on his to-do list.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
Late that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Sanji awoke to a soft whimper from somewhere in the room. He tightened his closed eyes and rolled over, assuming it was Luffy chasing flying chicken legs in his sleep again.  
  
Not a moment later there was a distressed groan, and when he listened more closely, it faintly sounded like someone was shaking or shivering. More importantly, it was from the hammock directly next to his.  
  
He opened his eyes, and found himself looking at Usopp's back in the dark. He was curled into a tight ball in his sleep, which was not how Usopp normally slept comfortably-- he spread all his damn limbs out everywhere and fell out sometimes. Then again, Sanji didn’t have that much room to talk.  
  
His body twitched, and then jerked, and that's when Sanji noticed he was definitely quivering in his sleep. It wasn't cold.  
  
_"No. No."_ The words were quiet, but distinct and his voice sounded terrified. With no hesitation, Sanji leaned to the edge of his own hammock and placed his hand lightly on Usopp's shoulder, hoping it might calm or wake him.  
  
“Usopp," He whispered, and Usopp kept shaking, his breathing rough and heavy, until Sanji shook him a little, and the moment paused. Sanji kept his hand where it was, until Usopp moved. Still moments passed, until Usopp rolled over to face him.  
  
"San...ji?" He blinked. He was soaked with his own sweat.  
  
"You were having a nightmare,” Sanji said, keeping his voice soft.  
  
Usopp paused for a moment, and then started to recall. In his sleep he had been lead to believe that being found had been a dream. That he’d awoken there again, with them, closing in on him during his last painful breaths with broken glass and blunt objects because he'd screamed.  
  
He felt awful. Sick, sweaty, and like he definitely wouldn't be able to sleep.  
  
"I'm going to take a shower.” He mumbled the words quickly, and got up to head out of the room.  
  
Sanji looked after him, and then glanced as the wardrobe where all Usopp's clothes were. He hadn't taken anything with him.  
  
Careful not to wake anyone else, Sanji got up and crept to the wardrobe to pull out a simple t-shirt and boxer shorts, and some blue pajama pants he'd seen Usopp wear before.  
  
He followed Usopp to the washroom, and sat outside with the clothes next to him. He didn't really feel like he could fall asleep again right away either.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
Usopp stepped out of the washroom in a towel, as Sanji had expected considering he didn’t bring a change of clothes. Sanji stood to meet him as he exited.  
  
“Hey," he said, gesturing to the stack of garments on the bench. "I brought you these. It seemed like you forgot."  
  
"Oh..." Usopp said, seeming slightly confused, and reached for them. "Right."  
  
Sanji flicked his eyes down to the droplets of water on his dark skin just above the towel line and alongside the trail of black curls that lead from his belly button you-know-where. Usopp had abs now, and he was shirtless even more often than that mosshead. He still managed to appear thinner, more lean almost, but the ripples in his torso were anything but faint.  
  
Sanji pulled his eyes off, and turned to casually face a different direction as Usopp started to remove the towel to put the dry clothes on.    
  
"You headed back to sleep?" Sanji asked as he listened to Usopp stumble around hastily to get the pants on.  
  
"No..." Usopp answered. "Not right away." He didn't say why.  
  
"Come to the kitchen then." Sanji said softly. "I'll make you some tea."  
  
“Oh,” Usopp blinked. “Sure, thanks.” He hadn't put the shirt on yet, and Sanji was already walking toward the kitchen. He threw it over his head quickly and followed as tried to pull it on all the way, managing to get his head stuck in the wrong hole as he walked, but having it on by the time they started up the stairs to the galley.  
  
"You're not still tired?" Usopp asked. Sanji was in a black t-shirt and grey sweat-pants. Usopp rarely saw him in such informal clothing unless he was in bed.  
  
"Not yet." Sanji answered as he opened the kitchen door. Usopp followed him inside and sat down in his usual spot at the dining table. He watched quietly as Sanji pulled out the tea kettle and turned a dial to light the flame beneath it.  
  
“Thanks, by the way.” Usopp said. “I know how to make tea but somehow, even though it’s just tea, I know it wouldn’t be half as good as yours.”  
  
Sanji smiled and Usopp could hear it in his voice even though he was facing away. “Of course.”  
  
Usopp stayed quiet and let him work. He watched, but Sanji was always so quick in the kitchen that it was hard to catch everything he did. He was sure Sanji tended to add a little something extra in addition to the bit of cream Usopp liked, maybe spices or something. There was always something there with Sanji’s creations that wasn’t there with his own, even in something as simple as tea.  
  
It didn’t take long, or maybe Usopp was a little too mesmerized by him to notice if it did. Sanji set a small cup of it in front of Usopp, and Usopp noted that he didn’t make any for himself. He just sat down next to Usopp with a cigarette, like he so often did after making something for everyone else. No wonder he was so damn thin. Fit beyond belief, but definitely thin.  
  
Usopp took a sip of the tea and licked his lips. It was good, but not what he expected. “This is…”  
  
“It’s supposed to help with nightmares.” Sanji murmured.  
  
“Oh.” Usopp turned the cup in his hands. “Thank you,” he said.  
  
There was a spell of silence before Sanji spoke again. “Were you dreaming about…”  
  
Usopp cut him off. “I was fighting a massive sea king, a hundred times the size of the Sunny with razor sharp teeth and spines. It kept saying that it wanted all our toothpaste.” His voice was surprisingly deadpan for one of his usual lies. He usually put more emotion and effort in.  
  
Sanji paused. “A talking sea king?”  
  
“That wanted toothpaste.” Usopp nodded.  
  
“I’m guessing those teeth you mentioned were pearly white, then?” Sanji said.  
  
“No, they were yellow and it had fish breath.”  
  
“I see why it was a nightmare,” Sanji snorted.  
  
There was another pause of silence between them, and Usopp was surprised at how patient Sanji was being. He obviously knew he wasn’t telling the truth— but, that sort of made sense as it wasn’t exactly Sanji’s business what he had nightmares about. Still. This was Sanji, and “none of your business” didn’t feel like the kind of reaction he wanted to have when asked a question by Sanji.  
  
“It’s not that bad, you know,” He finally said, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’ve all been through things, and I just want to be okay.”  
  
“It doesn’t happen automatically. It’s understandable that you’re not,” Sanji said. He wanted to mention that he understood the starvation in-particular and how much he knew it could destroy you for so long afterward. But he didn’t want to presume to know the whole of what Usopp had been through. It had been so much more than just that, and he couldn’t begin to understand how Usopp planned to just shrug it off.  
  
“I need to be,” Usopp said, voice a little hoarse. “I don’t want to be a burden anymore, or have people always looking out for me, or thinking they have to. I decided during the two years we were apart, and this is no exception.”  
  
“But it _is…_ ” Sanji spoke a little out of turn and Usopp’s grip on his cup tightened.  
  
“It’s not like I’d lost hope,” Usopp said, argumentatively. “I knew you guys would come for me. It was painful and terrifying but it wasn’t the end. I was… waiting.” He went on, and Sanji found himself a little moved by the words. Four weeks, and Usopp hadn’t given up hope even a little?  
  
“I kept thinking about your food.” Usopp went on, and Sanji listened quietly, heart rate quickening, watching Usopp speak with his eyes fixed on the tea in front of him. “I kept saying to myself that even though I felt starved and everything was so bad, _as soon as I get out of this and see Sanji he’ll make me a giant table covered in all my favorite foods and more…_ ”  
  
“And you did.” He lifted his eyes to Sanji’s and smiled, and Sanji felt his heart rate pick up just a little.  
  
Usopp then looked back down again. “Sorry about shrugging off your apology earlier, I appreciate everything you’re doing,” Usopp said, turning his cup in his hands. “Maybe I was trying to have too much pride,” He released a small laugh.  
  
Sanji forced a smile to the corner of his lips, but had to look away as it quickly disappeared. It was hard to share in Usopp’s relaxed mood, to return that smile. It never had been hard with Usopp— to feel what he felt or be swayed by his cheerful mood. But Sanji was still so angry. With those damn pirates, with himself for letting it happen and not finding him sooner… he felt awful and responsible and he couldn’t stop playing it over in his mind.  
  
“You’ve kind of been around more than anyone.” Usopp went on. “I mean, making sure I’m okay and everything,” he scratched the back of his head, maybe a little nervously. “That didn’t really surprise me either.”  
  
Sanji watched him quietly, listening intently. “I knew Luffy would come for me— that you all would— that there was no force that could stop him from getting me out of that place, it was only a matter of time.”  
  
“He saved me from them,” Usopp brought his tea to his lips and took a sip. “But I knew that you’d be the one to save the rest of me after.” he tossed Sanji a little smile as he set down the empty cup.  
  
Sanji’s eyes were wide and he looked back at Usopp’s smiling face, feeling frozen. The millions of thoughts that raced through his mind at that moment were both new and old, both confusing and warm. It took some internal shouting to get him to stop just staring back at Usopp in lost awe and _say something._  
  
“Well, you know.” Sanji said finally, turning away from Usopp casually and tapping his cigarette against the side of the ash tray. “Gotta look out for the long-nose.”  
  
Usopp laughed under his breath, and then started to stand with his teacup. “I think I’ll be able to sleep now.” He said as he walked it to the sink. “Thanks for the tea.” He shot Sanji a wave without looking back as he walked out of the kitchen, casual as ever, and leaving Sanji in a mess of his own mind.  
  
o-o-o  
  
Not as unfortunately as one might expect, nights like these turned into something of a pattern.  
  
It wasn’t every night. At first it was just more nightmares that woke Sanji up, and he’d wake Usopp up in turn to save him from them. Sometimes Usopp was able to go back to sleep, but most times he got up, and most times Sanji got up with him. The tea didn’t seem to help as Sanji had started making it for him before they went to sleep instead of just in the middle of the night, but Usopp still asked for it.  It had been about a week and a half, and about four nights had included an unexpected tea break. Usopp seemed to be getting better, and they’d chat about things casually. About keeping Luffy out of their private supply stock, about their mutual casual guilt about tricking Chopper into thinking there was a ghost fish inside the aquarium when he’d seen a shadow earlier that day.  
  
Each time Usopp thanked him with that big smile, and each time he looked a little more like his old self.  
  
It was midday, and Sanji had just finished cleaning up after lunch. He wanted to ask Nami how long it would be until they made it to the next Island for supplies. They were fine in general, but he was running low on a few preferred spices that hadn’t been available at their last stop. One of which was among those he’d been using in Usopp’s tea.  He found her at the bow of the ship in a lawn chair as she often was, wearing a short yellow sun dress and looking as beautiful and flawless as ever. He stumbled over his own inferior feet in the weight of her divine presence and nearly fell hard and passionately in love on his way over to her, calling out her name until his steps turned into a dance and he plucked a medicinal flower from one of Chopper’s growth boxes and held it out to her.  
  
She took it nonchalantly, and smelled it before setting it on the chair next to her. “Yes, Sanji?” She asked, not looking away from the newspaper in her hand.  
  
“You look just like the goddess you are this afternoon, did you need any oils for your skin? Or a snack?”  
  
“Sanji,” Nami looked at him, not answering the offers. He frowned at the serious look on her face and his mood drooped a bit. “What’s going on with you and Usopp?” She asked.  
  
Sanji blinked. “Going on?” He scratched the back of his head. “I’ve been making the long-nose tea sometimes because he’s been having nightmares.” Then he realized why she might’ve been asking. “I’m sorry, have we been keeping you up?”  
  
Nami frowned, eyes narrow as she looked back to the newspaper. “No,” she said. She’d noticed them leaving their sleeping quarters together late at night when she was up late charting, and Robin said she saw the same thing on a night that she’d gotten absorbed in one of her books.  
  
“Is everything okay?” Sanji asked, genuinely concerned about her demeanor suddenly. She seemed irritated.  
  
“Usopp’s really vulnerable right now, you know,” Nami said, eyes focused elsewhere. “Be careful with him.”  
  
“…Of course,” Sanji said, still a little confused, but also not as confused as he felt he should have been.  
  
He decided to change the subject. “Oh. That reminds me, I actually came here to ask if you knew when the next island would be coming about?”  
  
“Shouldn’t be more than two days,” Nami replied, glancing at the log poses on her arms. “Looks like a calm one,” She observed. Sanji nodded, and turned away from her, his mind still a little hung up on her words about Usopp.  
  
Nami knew Usopp better than anyone else on the ship, and she knew better than anyone that he wasn’t looking for any sort of sensitivity or pity. He’d said himself that having the others act differently after what happened was the last thing he wanted, so why would Nami be so adamant that Sanji be careful?  He wasn’t clueless, especially not lately. Usopp wasn’t as subtle as he thought he was and Nami may have been good at keeping secrets in theory, but she dropped hints like bombs that only Luffy could miss. Sanji was sure that reality was staring straight at the back of his head and he wasn’t sure that he wanted to turn and look at it.  
  
But at the same time, lately, he kind of did. After all, they were spending so much time together,  there were so many nights alone with him, and things were so easy and casual and open and…  
  
Sanji scowled and grumbled and mussed his hair at his own thoughts, sighing heavily as his eyes drifted to one side. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been with men before, especially recently, but a crew mate was a risk for obvious reasons. He tended to keep that sort of thing separate. It was better if their relationships remained platonically professional and all that. Or something.  Usopp was cute— well, that was what Sanji had always thought before, but now he was kind of hot. He had those abs and that first night after his shower he was in that ridiculous teal and green spotted towel with the water droplets rolling down his chest and those lines of muscle that disappeared in a V-shape behind the towel, but suggested so much about what was—  
  
“Sanji?” Nami’s voice called out to him. “Are you okay? You walked ten feet away and then you looked like you were having an internal crisis…”  
  
Shivers shot up and down Sanji’s body at the words and he spun immediately. “I’m fine, Nami-san! Thank you for your concern!” With an over-sized smile he started to back away, and then skittered down to the main deck. Once there he heaved a sigh and headed toward the stern. He needed his kitchen.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
It should be a general rule in life that when you retreat somewhere to cool off, the source of your stress shouldn’t be staring you in the face in the very spot you choose to retreat to.  
  
“Sanji!” Usopp waved enthusiastically and with a big grin. It was good that he was so high-spirited. Sanji smiled— then frowned.  
  
_Damn it_ , he looked good right then too. Well-rested, bright eyed, maybe recently showered. With his hair pulled back and one strand of curly black hanging in his face. _Don’t look at the big, happy eyes and smile. Focus on that gargantuan nose._  
  
It would probably have been cute if his nose tickled Sanji’s ear or brushed his cheek when they kissed.  
  
Sanji kicked a chair hard, for no apparent reason, earning the confused, blinking eyes of Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy right before he sat down.  
  
“You okay, Sanji?” Chopper asked, leaning over the table as if extra concerned.  
  
“Sanji! Dinner!” Luffy barked, and Sanji gave him a cock-eyed look.  
  
“You still haven’t left the table from lunch. It was twenty-minutes ago.”  
  
“But I’m hungry! Give me a snack!” Luffy whined.  
  
“Sorry,” Sanji took a drag and spoke with sincerity. “We’re low on supplies until the next island. Nami says it’ll only be a few days. You can have a snack then,” They weren’t low on anything by normal standards, really. But Luffy’s idea of a snack could have ended up being a three-course meal.  
  
“Whaaaattt?” Luffy fell side-ways dramatically, but popped back up when something on the table made a spark and a sound.  
  
“What was that?” Luffy said, looking at the small round object that Usopp was fiddling with intently.  
  
“What was it? What?” Chopper all but climbed up on the table to get a better look, flailing his front hooves over the table toward the small round object.  
  
“Careful Chopper, it’s only a little more powerful than a firecracker right now, but don’t get too close.”  
  
“Are you making explosives in my kitchen?” Sanji leaned forward, sticking his cigarette up toward the ceiling with his bottom lip critically.  
  
“Uh…” Usopp looked genuinely terrified, and Sanji regarded him through a glare for just a few moments.  
  
“Don’t burn anything down.” He said, and then started to stand. Clearly he wasn’t going to get any alone time here. The aquarium was usually empty this time of day, unless the moss head decided to take a nap down there. Not that his lazy ass was any version of wanted or unwanted company anyway. But then, his snoring was the latter.  
  
o-o-o  
  
Sanji was able to get his mind of the problems in his head when he found Robin reading by the aquarium. He offered her a snack, and she said no. Probably best because he couldn’t go to the kitchen and make anything with Luffy there anyway. She was peaceful company, and while they talked casually for almost an hour, not much was said. For now, that was the kind of conversation Sanji preferred.  
  
After a while Franky showed and had to muscle in on his date with the lovely Robin, who must’ve been patronizing him when she said she was interested in seeing his new modifications.  
  
He watched them leave together, his eyes narrowing as he wondered vaguely if there was something beyond crewmanship going on there. They were both older members of the crew, though Franky often still acted like he was Usopp’s age. But they were also particularly close friends.  Maybe he wasn't the only one with romantic issues on this ship.  
  
His eyes widened when he realized what he’d admitted to himself and he shook it from his head and quickly stood to leave. Maybe he’d start on dinner a little early.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
Sanji was surprised when he was awoken in the middle of the night by a hand shaking his shoulder and a frantic calling of his name.  
  
“Usopp?” His eyes widened, and he sat up alert. Was something happening to the ship?  
  
“Sorry,” Usopp said. “I… I didn’t… I didn’t know who else to wake up.”  
  
Sanji looked around, the others were still asleep. He sat up more until he hung his feet off the edge of the hammock.  
  
“Is something wrong?” He asked, gently, rubbing his eyes. “Did you have a nightmare again?”  
  
Usopp shook his head. “No, I heard something outside when I was going to the bathroom, and I swear I saw something move,” he said. “At first I thought maybe it was just a bug, but it sounded bigger. Then I thought about how we haven’t been on an island in a while and if it was something like a rat we would have seen it by now, right?”  
  
“A rat?!” Sanji’s face displayed pure disgust and he pulled the blanket up to cover his neck and the bottom half of his face.  
  
“No, it’s not a rat,” Usopp said, wondering if Sanji had only processed that one word. “That’s what I’m saying. It must’ve somehow just boarded the ship!”  
  
“Are you sure it wasn’t Chopper?” Sanji offered with high hopes, subtly hiding behind his blanket.  
  
“Chopper’s right there, asleep.” Usopp snorted. “Anyway I can’t figure out what it might be. But I want to find out. If you’re not going to come with me, make sure you rescue me if I start to scream.”  
  
Sanji watched him leave the room with a frown. Damn long-nose, thinking he can just wake Sanji up for any old damn thing now.  
  
If it was a rat he was going to kill Usopp.  
  
That was the last thing he thought before he hopped out of his hammock, and followed Usopp outside.  
  
When he came out, Usopp was cursing and rustling around just around the corner of where Sanji stood at the door to their sleeping quarters on the main deck. It seemed like he was half-heartedly fighting with something.  
  
Sanji held up both hands in prepared karate-chop action mode as he crept cautiously toward the scene. If Usopp was battling a rat, Sanji would have the utmost faith that he could handle it on his own.  
  
Fearing the worst, he peaked around the corner. His eyes fell upon Usopp just in time to see him lift a fat, thick fish, that was half his own height in length above his head and cackle victoriously.    
  
"It's a monster... jumping fish!" Usopp shouted with pride, probably thinking he was alone. He then brought it down to eye level to get a better look. "I wonder if we could eat it?"  
  
“Nope," Sanji volunteered an answer as he casually approached from behind  
  
Usopp turned to him and blinked, a little surprised to see him. "What? You can't cook it?"  
  
Sanji scoffed lightly as he exhaled smoke. "Don't insult me, of course I can. But that's a rare breed of fish these days because they're known for getting over-excited by commotion and jumping into boats. They're a good size and a decent meal so they usually get eaten when it happens."  
  
Usopp frowned as the fish's gils pulsed, it's mouth opening and closing with each breath. "I knew it wasn't a very smart fish for landing itself of here, but I guess it's in the genes." He looked upon it critically. “Really high jumper, though.” He at least gave it credit for that.  
  
"There's a story behind it.” Sanji went on. "It's said they used to have a symbiotic relationship with a type of whale that grew to the size of a sailboat, or sometimes even as big as a warship, and their bodies had a similar shape. Those whales are extinct now, so the theory is that sometimes they mistake ships for those types of whales breaking the surface and can't contain their excitement, and go after them incessantly, jumping out of the water to get the ship's attention until they get stuck on the deck."  
  
"He's not stupid, he just probably hasn't seen a ship before and thought it was his one of his natural allies. We have plenty of food supplied, so just throw him back."  
  
Usopp frowned. The fish had gone still in his hands as if it had given up. It couldn't have been fun to think you'd found a friend and then end up fighting for your life.  
  
"Are you sure, Sanji? What if the next island doesn't have any animals or shops?" Usopp countered.  
  
"I don't feel like dressing and storing that giant thing right now so just throw it back,” Sanji excused himself, eager for Usopp to do it before he changed his mind.  
  
"Okay..." Usopp said, and waddled to the rail of the boat on command, carrying the massive fish. With an almost over-dramatic oomph, he tossed the fish out to sea. The splash nearly got him in the face and he covered his eyes, but opened them just in time to see it swim quickly downward.  
  
Usopp chuckled at it, smiling. "I used to throw the little ones back when I was fishing back at Syrup Village." He mused, resting his chin in his hands against the railing. "It's always cool to watch them go."  
  
"They're escaping what they probably thought for sure was their end." Sanji said. "I'll bet it's pretty cool for them too."  
  
Usopp grinned back at him, a little lopsided, his long hair and the strands in his face swept up by a light breeze. Sanji's heart started to beat a little faster. There was a silence between them as Sanji approached the railing, and leaned forward against it as well to look out at the sea. It was calm, and there was a slight breeze that made the distant waves appear to race for the starry horizon.  
  
"I actually did have a nightmare." Usopp spoke, and Sanji turned to him in some surprise. "I haven’t gone a night without one since I got here.” He confessed. “But if you don't wake up from it… I can't ever come up with a good excuse to come get you."  
  
Sanji stared at him, his stomach starting to churn at the words. Usopp was having awful nightmares and sitting up alone, dealing with it by himself?  
  
"Idiot." He said, sighing as he took a drag to calm himself down. "Of course you can wake me if you're scared."  
  
"Sorry." Usopp wasn't sure what else to say, or what he was really apologizing for.  
  
Sanji thought about asking: _why me?_ Why not the swordsman or Franky, or Chopper? But he didn't want to make it sound like it was an inconvenience for him to any degree. It was, perhaps, on his energy level and sleep schedule. But as far as he was concerned, the pros outweighed the cons.  
  
"Anyway." Usopp's voice dropped a little. "Tonight was worse..." he scratched at the back of his neck, and tensed as he felt himself start to sweat again. "Worse than usual, so when I saw something moving it seemed like a good excuse to wake you up..."  
  
"You're ridiculous,” Sanji heaved a sigh. "Come on. I'll make tea,” he turned slowly, waving for Usopp to follow as he started toward the galley. Usopp shoved his hands in his pockets as he hopped along to follow Sanji, snickering with a massive grin stretched across his face.  
  
He felt okay when he was awake. When he was here, with the constant reassurance that his crew was there for him.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
"So?" Sanji asked, his cheek resting on his knuckles with his elbow on the table as he watched Usopp sipped the same flavor of tea he'd made three nights this week.  
  
"So what?" Usopp looked back to him in question. Sanji’s eyes flicked down and away as he considered his words.  
  
"What made this nightmare so much worse than the others?" Maybe he was curious. Maybe he wanted to see if Usopp wanted to talk about it, or would talk about it this time.  
  
Usopp seemed to tense a little, and get smaller. Sanji wondered if he shouldn't have asked, but then Usopp spoke up.  
  
"Well... it was just like the others. It took me back there, made me feel like I never left, it was dark and they were in the dark or coming down the ladder for me, coming at me with knives or clubs…” Usopp said, turning his glass in his hands. Sanji felt his blood boil at all of the things Usopp was telling him. He’d been very secretive about the ways they’d hurt him so far, and though his wounds gave enough suggestion, it was infuriating to finally hear it from Usopp.  
  
”But... you guys came for me in this one,” Usopp went on. "But instead of rescuing me, you said you only came to tell me I was worthless for getting captured, and… you left me there,” he seemed to be reliving some of it in his mind, because a slight look of fear had come back to his eyes.  
  
Sanji paid close attention to the word "you" and if Usopp meant to imply it was Sanji specifically saying this, or  the crew as a collective. He couldn't decide, and didn't want to ask.  
  
"It was just a dream... but it was the worst possible ending to that nightmare." He said, clutching the cup a little tighter in his hands. Sanji watched him, his mind racing with what he should do, what he should say—  
  
"Well, I guess it would have been better than if you died trying to save me." Usopp chuckled a little, his hands loosening around the class.  
  
Sanji forced his anger to deflate. If Usopp wanted to be okay, Sanji would force himself to be as well. He didn’t want to make it worse.  
  
"It's not like you to look on the bright side.” He was being only half sarcastic. Usopp laughed gently back, and brought the cup to his lips to take a sip.    
  
Sanji took a deep breath, and he turned in his seat so his back was to Usopp’s body, and leaned back against his side.  
  
Usopp's eyes widened as they shifted to Sanji. He felt a little frozen as Sanji blew smoke up into the air, casually as ever while leaning against him.  
  
He looked down solemnly at his cup as he tried to contain his emotions and heart beat. There was no mistake that he and Sanji were closer lately, but it didn't mean anything beyond that. Sanji always went out of his way to help the others on the crew, and he had for Usopp multiple times. It was just another reason on the list of reasons that it was impossible not to be in love with him.  
  
"You know..." Usopp started, perhaps just to break the silence. "At the start, when it was really bad, I used to stay up all night like this with Kaya to make sure she was okay."  
  
Sanji turned his head slightly. "That girl from your village?"  
  
"That's right. You never met her..." He continued. "After her parents died... well, she had a hard time dealing with it."  
  
"Noble of you to be there for a women who's in pain,” Sanji commented, and Usopp heaved a sigh.  
  
"She was my friend, it wasn't just because she was a girl."  
  
Sanji's voice sank a little, his eyes shifting away with some guilt. "I know,” he said.  
  
"Anyway..." Usopp shrugged it off. "I used to tell her all these stories..."  
  
"I'm not going to tell you any stories,” Sanji interrupted bluntly.  
  
Usopp laughed. "I know. That's my thing." He said it proudly, and Sanji had to smile warmly. "But, as I was saying..."  
  
o-o-o-o   
Usopp told him all about Kaya, and he knew she was wonderful because she was a lady. But was even more wonderful was the way Usopp loved her, the way he spoke of her with such care and admiration. The way he mentioned the things she’d done wrong, the ways she hurt him when they first met and when she didn’t trust him, and the way he explained and understood why she did it and that he didn’t blame her.  
  
Sanji listened to Usopp talk about this girl he knew in his village, this friend that was still so important to him, and for a few lines, or maybe for a few stories, he forgot to listen. He was too busy wondering if Usopp would ever speak of him this way, and how amazing that would have made him feel.  
 The atmosphere had become quiet, now. A comfortable silence had settled, and the time was well passed late to the point of being considerably early. Usopp wasn't tired, but Sanji had gone silent, leaning against Usopp's side as he sat at the table. He wondered if he'd fallen asleep.  
  
“Well," Usopp cleared his throat, figuring it would wake Sanji up. "I think I can sleep now,” he said, though it was a lie.  
  
Sanji seemed to get the message, and leaned off of him. Usopp glanced over at him. His eyes weren't droopier than usual, he didn't look like he'd been asleep, or like he was incredibly tired.  
  
"You're tired?" Sanji asked him, surprised considering all the caffeinated tea Usopp just had. And he’d only just finished enthusiastically telling a story no more than five minutes ago. But on the other hand, Usopp hadn't been sleeping well.  
  
"I mean, not really,” Usopp said as he stood. He’d said it because he thought Sanji was tired. The thought of trying to go to sleep was unappealing but actually succeeding and then having another nightmare was also terrifying.  
  
"But we should try to sleep, don't you think?" Worse, though, if he spent another minute here with Sanji like this, he was going to do something irrevocable like try kiss him.  
  
He walked his glass to the sink in a hurry, and took the time to wash it, perhaps just to distract himself from the thought. He didn’t realize that Sanji had hopped up and quietly trailed behind him.  
  
"I guess.” Sanji said, and Usopp tensed because the voice came from behind him. Right behind him.  
  
When he turned back slowly, he saw that Sanji wasn't just casually leaning against the opposite counter. He was standing only inches behind Usopp, far too close. But Usopp had already committed himself to turning, and having his back to Sanji knowing he was so close wasn't going to be a great spot for him either. So he straightened himself up and faced the other man with everything he could muster.  
  
"Sanji..." he let out an awkward laugh. "You're standing really close, I can barely move..."  
  
"Hey, Usopp." Sanji raised one hand, and placed it on the counter next to Usopp, and inched closer. He watched Usopp's forced awkward smile flip into a confused frown, and the way his lips parted because his breath picked up, and the way he folded into himself under the uncertainty of the situation.  
  
Sanji hated that he was afraid, that he was uncomfortable, that he was insecure. He always hated it. Not Usopp, not that Usopp got that way, he didn't hate anything about Usopp. But he hated fear and uncertainty for poisoning Usopp so often. He wanted Usopp to be okay, to feel safe, secure. Especially now, after everything he'd been through.  
  
Usopp’s discomfort had skyrocket in more ways than one. He didn’t dislike what this situation implied by any means but he was unsure about what Sanji was doing, why he was doing it, perhaps if it was some kind of prank, or something else equally obscure.  
  
Sanji didn't know how to fix it. Heaving inward, he exhaled harshly and leaned forward to press the top of his head against Usopp's chest. He felt Usopp's body stiffen underneath the pressure.  
  
"S-sanji..."  
  
"Sorry." _Shit, he'd just made it worse._ He couldn't bring himself to back up just yet… if he backed  up a little he’d back up all the way and nothing would get said or done. Moments passed, and Usopp lifted one hand to his shoulder, and touched it gently.  
  
"Hey, are you okay?" He pushed lightly, like he wanted Sanji to meet his eyes.  
  
"Hey Usopp." Sanji said, ignoring the question, because the last thing Sanji wanted was Usopp to being concerned for _him_ right now. "Do you wanna fuck?"  
  
Usopp froze, eyes widening, wondering if he'd heard the question correctly. It wasn't like Sanji hadn't dropped signals within the last thirty seconds but they were the only signals in the two years and some months they'd known each other. So of course he was confused. That was kind of an enormous leap.  
  
"You can say no." Sanji reminded him, lifting his head to meet Usopp's eyes finally. He was frustrated with himself for this being the only way he could bring it up. But it was done now.  
  
"Sanji..." Usopp replied darkly. If Sanji was messing with him right now he was going to get a boot to his ridiculous swirly face.  
  
"Everyone's asleep." Sanji said. "It's just us."  
  
Sanji looked serious. Almost too serious. The last thing Usopp wanted to do was reject him but he was also fearful of the intentions here, and convinced there was something else behind it.  
  
But who was he kidding? He was Usopp! Professional at beating around the bush! He could find answers if he drew out this conversation enough.  
  
"You'd do that in that kitchen?" Usopp asked, playing along with some criticism.  
  
"Want to find out?" Sanji murmured, half-hooded eyes locked with Usopp's. He wasn't backing off. He wasn't laughing it off. His eyes were dark and he kept creeping closer, Usopp felt himself shivering, but nothing about it was bad.  
  
"Is this a dream?" Usopp spoke under his breath, he wasn't sure who he was asking.  
  
Sanji laughed. "You've had dreams about this? How flattering." Sanji dropped to his knees in front of Usopp almost casually.  
  
Usopp tensed and braced his hands on the counter on either side of him, already starting to pant. He couldn't believe this was happening and half of him wanted to stop it-- it was so fast and he wanted so much more from Sanji than just what he was offering right now, but...  
  
Sanji looked up at him with those deep blue eyes, and he swallowed.  
  
"So?" Sanji tilted his head. Usopp had never answered the question of the hour.  
  
"Sanji..." Usopp whispered harshly, closing his eyes, he placed a hand on top of Sanji's head almost intuitively. He rolled a strand of the soft yellow hair between his thumb and index finger. “Yes! I…” He said, and then shook his head quickly. “But… I’ve never…”  
  
"It's okay. I have." Sanji said, and smirked a little. "That's why I'm down here. You don't have to do that much."  
  
Usopp huffed. "So you just assumed all on your own that I, the great Usopp, was inexper--" Usopp cut himself off with a breathy  squeak when Sanji leaned in and pressed his tongue and mouth hard against the slight bulge in his pajama pants. Usopp shut his eyes and bowed his head immediately, bucking his hips against Sanji's mouth.  
  
"Oh my god." His breath shook.  
  
"You okay?" Sanji said. Usopp answered by rolling his palm against Sanji's head, mussing his hair almost intentionally. He closed his fist gently around a patch of it as his breath picked up.  
  
"Please..." Eyes squeezed tight, he nudged his hips forward, and Sanji was quick to oblige.  
  
He nuzzled Usopp through his pants, not wanting to take things too fast. Usopp felt... pretty average, maybe smaller than he'd guessed, but that wasn't a disappointment by any means. He kissed the arch in his hardening shaft through the fabric, and felt Usopp subtly pushing his hips harder against Sanji's mouth.  
  
Sanji lifted his hands to experimentally tease the hem of Usopp's pants, pushing up his shirt a little to get a teasing glimpse of his now trained and toned stomach. Sanji had liked skinny Usopp more than he'd been anywhere near willing to admit on back then. But thickly muscled Usopp was equally appealing.  
  
Usopp seemed relaxed, so Sanji slipped two fingers under the hem of his pants and boxer shorts, pushing them down just enough to reveal his hip bone on one side.  
  
He heard Usopp's breath pick up, felt the hand in his hair tighten. He wanted to see Usopp's cock and he wanted to feel it half-way down his throat. It took some determination and self-control to take this slow.  
  
The bulge in his pants was almost a tent now, and Usopp was breathing heavily, but slowly, not in a panic. That was a good sign.  
  
"Are you going to..." Usopp swallowed. It was the only thing that made sense, but Sanji was taking so long.  
  
"If that's what you want." Sanji said, grinning like a bastard, almost too casually, definitely teasingly. But Usopp couldn't so much as bring himself to frown so instead he just nodded with urgency. He watched Sanji's grin grow in reaction to it, and felt his pants slipping further down. Usopp shut his eyes. He didn’t want to look at himself right now.  
  
Sanji leaned in to wrap his lips sideways around the base of the shaft as soon as it was revealed, and listened to Usopp squeak and gasp. He tongued it roughly as he pulled Usopp's pants down to his ankles, his cock popping up once it cleared them, the tip perfectly level with Sanji’s lips.    
  
He glanced up at Usopp's face just once and locked eyes with him for just a moment, seeing the plea in them before flicking back down to the head in front of him, and greedily stuck his tongue to the tip before tilting his head to wrap his lips full around it.  
  
Usopp mewled, his legs shook, his hand twisted into Sanji's hair. His breath started to come out in short little huffs, and his whole body quivered. Sanji used his hand on the rest of the shaft as his tongue swirled over the head. Usopp tugged on his hair, and Sanji laughed gently around him, the vibrations sending little shocks throughout Usopp’s body. He gasped, and threw his head back hard, knocking it against the bottom of the upper cupboards.  
  
"Owe..." he cringed, and raised a hand to it. Sanji let his cock flop from his mouth.  
  
"You okay?" Sanji asked, rubbing his inner thigh tenderly with his other hand.  
  
"Yeah, sorry." Usopp felt like an utter fool.  
  
Sanji forgave him wordlessly, and leaned back in to wrap his lips around Usopp again. He took it slow, simultaneously dragging his hand up Usopp's inner thigh, prodding his legs to spread further apart. Usopp obliged surprisingly eagerly, though he seemed to stiffen when Sanji's fingers traveled a little higher than he anticipated.  
  
Sanji noticed, and redirected his hand’s path to cup his balls instead, squeezing them gently and rolling them in his hands as he let Usopp's cock slide out of his lips.  
  
"This okay?" Sanji asked, and Usopp could barely comprehend the act of speech right now.  
  
"Haa..." was all he could get out.  
  
"Just my fingers." Sanji experimentally slipped his hand a bit further back, the very tips teasing the idea of sliding between Usopp's ass.  
  
"I... okay..." Usopp said. He was almost shocked at how much experience Sanji seemed to have. He didn't mind being fingered in the least, though he missed Sanji's mouth around him.  
  
Sanji's own breath hitched as he wiggled his fingers up to where he wanted them to be despite how tense Usopp still was. He flicked his thumb against the opening when he found it, and watched Usopp shake.  
  
"About those dreams..." Sanji murmured as he started to tease the outer rim with his index finger. Usopp inched his legs a little further apart.  
  
"Who's fucking who?"  
  
"Ahm..." Usopp's face turned beet read. "It's um..." his voice was small and a little shaken. "It varies..." he admitted, not that he was ashamed. Well, no more than he was about the rest of this mess that was unfolding before his eyes.  
  
"Hmm..." Sanji rubbed and the prodded Usopp's opening with a little more aggression, his finger partially entering him. There was no way he was going to fuck Usopp tonight, but having Usopp like this was unforgettable. Not to mention if Sanji could keep him turned on and interested with just his fingers, that would've been a decent testament to his skill.  
  
"Sanji..." there was a waver in Usopp's voice. Sanji's fingers teasingly inside him was mostly a discomfort right now, though the situation itself remained enough to keep him interested. But there was something else he wanted a little more.  
  
"All right,” Sanji said, giving in, removing his finger with one last flick and letting his hand fall away. He didn't have any lube handy anyway, he wasn't going to get very far. But he was damn sure going to have Usopp's ass in every way next time. Or some time, at least.  
  
He raised his hands to grip Usopp by both his hips, and dipped his head to take him into his mouth again, pushing his lips all the way down the shaft to the base, where he hummed in contentment  
  
Usopp bucked his hips under the vibrations, and felt Sanji gag around him and immediately pulled back to cough.  
  
"Oh, God!" Usopp slapped hand over his mouth as he looked down at Sanji’s, who’d gathered himself quickly. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean--"  
  
Sanji realigned his mouth with Usopp’s cock, hand continuing to pump the shaft as he spoke. "It's fine. You just surprised me.” He said.  
  
"I didn’t mean to--" Usopp continued trying to apologize.  
  
“Usopp," Sanji interrupted. "I said it's fine." He lifted his hand, and placed it on top of Usopp's that was still in his hair, slowly pushing it down slightly so more of it was at the back of his head rather than on top.  
  
"I want you to fuck my mouth." Sanji said, giving Usopp's head a quick lick when he spotted some pre-cum. The sight of it mixed with what he just said almost made Usopp come right then and there.  
  
"S-Sanji..!" Usopp exclaimed.  
  
"Do it." Sanji whispered as he aligned Usopp's cock with his incredibly sexy, swollen lips again. "I love the sounds you make." He said, hoarsely, and then took Usopp deep into his mouth once again.  
  
He knew Usopp would be shy about it at first, and settled for the fact that he remained frozen and wouldn't move at all. Sanji worked with what he had, swirling his tongue around and rolling it rough against the underside, collapsing his cheeks to tighten the space. It was nothing short of a victory when Usopp nudged himself a little deeper. Sanji encouraged him by pressing his tongue hard against the underside and moaning again, bracing himself by switching angles. Usopp seemed to experiment once more, thrusting a little harder, letting out the most delectable moan when he did.  
  
He used the hand on the back of his head to press Sanji's head harder onto him, and it sent chills down Sanji's spine when he brought a second hand to the side of Sanji's head as if to hold it where he wanted it.  
  
"Fuck." Usopp felt Sanji grin around him and cursed. He tried to contain himself as Sanji worked hard to try and drive Usopp as deep as he could. It felt and looked amazing and he still couldn't believe it was happening.  
  
As he looked down at Sanji's head between his legs he realized how much he wanted to. He wanted to fuck Sanji's face like he’d dreamed of fucking his body. Sanji was doing his best to cover as much ground as he could, but...  
  
Usopp held his head still, and jutted his hips forward once. Sanji gagged on him for just a moment but readjusted eagerly, to which Usopp answered with another thrust. Sanji made a sound like he'd been hit and his eyes started to water, but his right hand grasped Usopp's hip and tugged him forward for encouragement.  
  
He held Sanji's head in his hands loosely, so he could pull away if he really needed to, but enough so that he could hold it where he wanted it while he moved. He planted his feet a certain distance apart, and started to thrust into Sanji's mouth like he'd been asked to. His movements were small and quick but he could feel himself at the back of Sanji's throat. It felt amazing, Sanji was amazing, and he couldn't even begin to hold back the sputters and moans that boiled up from his throat. He started to thrust harder, and threw his head back as he all but lost it as he pounded into Sanji's mouth, feeling his tongue, his cheeks, his throat.  
  
"Sanji, I'm...-" he breathed out, and Sanji seemed to get the idea because he grabbed Usopp tight by both hips and all but impaled himself on Usopp's cock, just before he felt the hot liquid splash against the back of his throat as Usopp let out a loud, shaking moan and pounded slowly but ruthlessly into him each time it shot out.  
  
Usopp felt Sanji swallow him up, and then watched him fall hard to his hands, releasing himself from Usopp, panting heavily  at the ground, and coughing as well. Usopp fell to his knees immediately.  
  
"Sanji!" He placed a hand on Sanji’s shoulder, worried that he went too far.  
  
The blond looked up at him with a grin and a bit of cum on his bottom lip. The sight was more than enough to turn Usopp on again.  
  
"You make the sexist noises." Sanji said between pants. "I can't wait to fuck you." He growled ecstatically, completely uncensored.  
  
Usopp wondered for a moment of he planned to right away, thinking only that he wouldn't be at all opposed. He was so turned on all over again by the look on Sanji's face, the memory of it all, the things he said.  
  
"But we'll save it for next time,” he said, and started to stand.  
  
And just like that, the idea was shot down. Usopp stood with him, quickly pulling up his pajama pants again, face reddening.  
  
"Let's hope that leaves you with some better dreams for the rest of the night." Sanji was already pulling a cigarette out of his pocket, and brought it to his lips.  
  
"Oh... this probably goes without saying, but don't tell anyone." He said, voice quiet as he exhaled smoked. "Nami and Robin might get jealous."  
  
"Obviously I'm not going to." Usopp insisted, his face hot. He had his own reasons for not wanting to go around telling everyone that the cook sucked his dick. Still, it made him uneasy that Sanji felt like he had to say it.  
  
“Anyway," Sanji sighed, "You're okay?" He asked, still looked as concerned as he had when he first found Usopp shaking.  
  
“Better," Usopp nodded. Forcing a small smile, Sanji waved over his shoulder, and started to leave the kitchen. He was tired, though he'd wait up to make sure Usopp followed him and went to sleep.    
  
‘Better’, definitely, but Usopp wasn't so sure about ‘okay.' He loved what had just happened and he wanted it more and more in a _hundred different ways_ but he wanted so much more than just that. As he watched Sanji go, thinking about how skilled and experienced Sanji so apparently was, he wasn't sure he wanted the same thing. Usopp had never seen Sanji in a relationship, not once. Maybe he was used to it not meaning more.  
   
As he stood there, leaning against the counter, eyes on the ground before him, his fists clenched as his mind filled itself with the idea that Sanji had only done that to make him feel better. That it didn't, and would never mean anything more.  
  
Never meaning anything more to Sanji was something he'd been used to for a long time. But having the hope arise in that moment and then get crushed again made it so much worse. He felt silly for hoping at all when it occurred to him that they hadn't even kissed.  
   
Sanji had said "save it for next time" but Usopp resigned himself to making sure there wasn't a next time. His libido might've been beyond satisfied but his heart definitely couldn't take this. Especially not now.  
  
o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
  
The next morning, Usopp felt sick. He didn't want to eat the breakfast that was placed in front of him, but he also didn't want Sanji or anyone else to think something was wrong, so he did.  
  
He kept sensing Sanji trying to get his attention. Shooting him glances, even nudging Usopp's foot under the table with his own. In turn Usopp kept his eyes fixated on his food and pulled his foot away to make his disinterest clear.  
  
It wasn't that he wasn't going to tell Sanji that he wanted whatever had started last night to be over, he just wasn't ready to do it yet. If Sanji didn't understand, Usopp might've had to confess as an explanation. The thought was terrifying, especially when he felt so thoroughly rejected already.  
  
He made the decision to give himself at least one day before facing Sanji like that. For today, he'd avoid the matter all together.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
Usopp was avoiding him.  
  
Sanji had his faced smashed in one hand as he sat alone in the galley re-thinking all of his life choices. Usopp wouldn't look at him let alone talk to him, let alone be touched by him, and after last night Sanji was becoming increasingly shameless about wanting to touch Usopp.  
  
But right now Usopp wouldn't even let them breath the same air. At breakfast he refused to look Sanji in the eye. When Sanji approached him on the deck earlier, he spotted him and ran off. When Sanji walked into the lounge and found Usopp there as well, he paled like Sanji was a ghost and ran out the other door.  
  
Hadn't something been established last night? Didn't Usopp _like_ him? Had he taken things too fast or been too intimidating with his skill and experience? Good lord he missed the feeling of Usopp's cock in his throat and those sounds he made.  
  
Something was wrong. And regardless of everything else, he and Usopp were friends. He was going to demand an explanation.  
  
-o-o-o  
  
"Usopp!" Luffy shouted. "Sanji was just looking for you!"  
  
"I'm not here!" Usopp turned on his heel and hurried back down the stairs to the lower decks.  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
"Marimo!" Sanji barked " Have you seen the long-nose around here?"  
  
Zoro opened his eye. The cook appeared to be some brand of frustrated. He was hunting around like a hound for Usopp it seemed. Maybe Usopp had taken some of his special herbs or some shit again.  
  
“No," Zoro answered, and shut his eye again.  
  
"Agh! Useless muscle brain!" Sanji shouted sharply as he turned to leave and Zoro erupted to his feet with unsheathed swords in both hands.  
  
"What'd you say?!"  
  
o-o-o-o  
  
"What are you doing?" Nami frowned, critically.  
  
"...Oh! Nami!" Usopp shot her his friendliest smile as he sat on his butt in the cramped corner of her wardrobe with a sketchbook up against his arched knees and and pencil in his hand. "Well, I saw a clothes moth fly in here and I was worried she might lay eggs in some of your jeans or--"  
  
"You're hiding from Sanji?" Nami interrupted, dead-pan.  
  
Usopp sucked in his bottom lip and and had to look away from her critical gaze. “Yes," he said pathetically.  
  
“Okay," Nami shrugged, and closed the door on him. "Have a good time!" She called as she left her room, waving over her shoulder at the closed wardrobe.  
  
o-o-o-o-o  
  
Sanji glared spitefully at the empty hammock and the irritating emptiness of it.  
  
He was waiting up. The lights were off and the others were asleep, but he was going to confront that long-nose the minute he finally gave up his hiding place to go to bed.  
  
Sanji sat there, glowering determinedly for about ten minutes before he finally sighed.  
  
Usopp could have easily just gone to sleep somewhere else. There was no point in waiting up here, really. Besides, if Usopp walked in and saw him awake, he'd probably run the other way.  
  
When it came to being completely and frustratingly ridiculous, Usopp had Sanji beat. There was always tomorrow for this, Usopp couldn’t skip meals forever. And he was tired in a lot of ways.  
  
Sighing heavily, he laid down. Considering the way things had unfolded, he knew he could have handled it better.  
  
He had thought skipping right to something physical would break the ice and also get Usopp's mind off things. Plus, his cock-sucking skills were absolute, and he was positive Usopp wouldn't have been able to stay away. It would certainly be an effective segue-way into everything they could explore.  
  
But apparently, he was wrong on all accounts. He knew should have been slower, should have held his hand or kissed his lips. _But all of that was so..._  
  
He was asleep before he could continue the thought.  
  
-o-o-o-o-  
  
Sanji opened his eyes.  

He hadn’t heard anything that he could remember, nothing specific had stirred him awake. But when he opened them he was on his side, and the first thing he saw when his vision adjusted to the dim moonlight was Usopp’s back facing him in his hammock. He was muttering pleas and wincing in his sleep like before, curled in the same defeated ball. 

  
Sanji watched him with wide, sympathetic eyes, pondering whether he should do anything. Usopp had been trying to avoid him, after all.  
  
But that was ridiculous. Sanji was at least his friend, and he was supposed to be there to help him. He had been every other night when it happened. This couldn’t change that.

  Quietly, Sanji sat up in his hammock so his bear feet touched the wood floor in the dark, and he stood. He crossed the small distance between their sleeping spaces, and placed his hand gently on Usopp’s shoulder.  

Usopp’s struggling slowed and calmed within seconds. Sanji stayed there, making circles with his thumb against his skin for a few moments, before Usopp lifted his own hand and placed it on top of his.

  Sanji blinked in surprise when the hand wrapped around his own, and the arm he’d placed his hand on was lifted to pull his hand and arm underneath it and around to the front of Usopp’s body, before Usopp relaxed again.

  Standing there with his arm around Usopp’s waist as he lay was awkward to say the least. So, Sanji got what he figured was the message, and he carefully started to climb in behind Usopp. Usopp shifted over a little, but the hammocks on the Sunny were plenty big enough for two people, so he didn’t have to move much.

  Sanji was lithe, and he fit snug against Usopp’s back. He settled in, and wrapped his arm more securely around Usopp’s midsection, holding him against himself and kissing his shoulder.  
  
Usopp had gone still, his breathing had become steady, and his body relaxed. Sanji closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of gunpowder in Usopp’s hair as the hammock rocked gently back and forth. Their bodies were meshed together, practically as one, and Sanji was surprised to find that he would likely be able to fall asleep like this. Hopefully, it would prevent Usopp’s nightmares, too.  

Minutes passed, no more than a few, before Usopp’s eyes popped open. 

  
Sanji tensed when Usopp turned his head slightly back toward him.  
  
“That’s kind of inappropriate,” Usopp commented.  
  
Sanji hummed, eyes still shut. “It’s not what you think. I forgot to take the cucumber out of my pocket before I went to bed.”  
  
“Really?” Usopp turned further back to him sounding legitimately curious about the claim.  
  
“No,” Sanji snorted, and adjusted himself a little less snug against Usopp’s body to take some of the pressure away. “Just ignore it.”  
  
Usopp accepted that, though he was having a hard time not thinking about it. Was Sanji hard just because he was pressed against a warm body, or was it because of Usopp specifically?  
  
Who was he kidding, of course it was the former.  “I thought you were avoiding me.” Sanji’s voice came again.  When Sanji said that, all the reasons why Usopp had been avoiding him resurfaced, and Usopp felt his breath pick up as a familiar fear came over him.  
  
He sat up, pushing himself out of Sanji’s grasp almost too quickly, and shoving his hand off as he stood.  
  
“Usopp?” Sanji questioned, eyes wide with confusion as Usopp got up too fast for him to stop him, and then started out of the room. “Usopp!” He called in the loudest whisper one could conjure.  Frustrated, he launched himself out of the hammock too, and hurried after the other man. He saw the door to the lounge close just as he exited their sleeping quarters, and followed Usopp straight inside. 

  
When he got there, Usopp was just standing still in the middle of the room, arms wrapped around himself, as if waiting.  “Usopp?” Sanji spoke gently as his frustration deflated, realizing that Usopp wasn’t running away anymore.

  
 “I don’t want to be like that with you.” Usopp said, voice low, and serious.  
  
Sanji stood quietly behind him as the words hit him, all he could think was that he was going to need a cigarette for this.  “Last night was fine, and fun, but I don’t want any of that anymore.” Usopp kept going as Sanji brought the cigarette to his lips. “I just want everything to be the way it was, I can’t handle all of that…”  
  
Sanji lit up, and exhaled smoke.  
  
“Nami seemed to think you did.”  
  
Usopp lifted his head, blinking. “Nami?” He turned to face Sanji. “Nami told you…?”  
  
“She didn’t say, but she implied.”  
  
“Then you read her wrong,” Usopp sneered, shaking his head. “I don’t just want… that, or sex, or whatever,” he went on. “We’re crewmates, and you’re one of my best friends, and you’re important to me but I…”  
  
“If it’s just sex it’s not going to cause a problem,” Sanji said, shrugging.  
  
“That is the problem!” Usopp shouted, irritated at how calm Sanji was. “It’s just physical to you, maybe. Just fun, or whatever! But I—,” He stopped himself, fists curled tightly had his sides as he glared at the wall.  
  
“Forget it.” He said. “Just… let’s go back to normal, okay?” He sat down on the couch behind him, eyes fixed on the ground. “Forget it ever happened,” he said, feeling the weight of his own words. The closest he’d ever gotten, as close as he’d probably ever get to having what he wanted, and he was pushing it away.  But he was better off.

  Sanji was becoming increasingly frustrated at the sound of those words. The same words he’d used to push away their regret about not being able to help him, about what happened to him. ' _Forget it happened?'_ Was that really Usopp’s answer to everything?

No. Sanji knew him better than that.  

“Sorry.” Sanji finally said.  
  
“It’s fine,” Usopp spoke quickly, becoming more uncomfortable. “Stop apologizing.” He wanted to be alone.  
  
“That’s not what I meant,” Sanji said, a little harshly as he crossed the room to stand in front of Usopp. “I’m not sorry for what I started yesterday,” he said, firmly.  
  
Usopp glared up at him, not liking his tone. _What was he trying to do? Turn this into a fight?_  
  
“I meant I’m sorry that I didn’t say more.” His voice became softer. “Sorry that I took it there so quickly, sorry I didn’t tell you the truth. And I’m sorry I didn’t kiss you.”  
  
Usopp blinked slowly, and raised his head to look up at the man standing in front of him. “Sanji…” His heart beat so hard that it seemed to stop his breath as the words slowly processed.  
  
Sanji wetted his lips once, before raising his empty hand to the side of Usopp’s face. He watched Usopp leaned into his palm just slightly, and dipped his head down to press his lips to his.  
  
Usopp’s eyes tripled in size when Sanji kissed him, and his body felt light. He tasted like cigarettes and something else, something subtly sweet. That was all he’d ever dreamed Sanji would taste like, and it was all so indescribably _Sanji_.  
  
Sanji didn’t mean to kiss him like this. He’d just wanted to make his words clear, to make it more than just physical, to make the fear go away. He wanted it to be chaste and he wanted emotion and sparks— and that was there, it was all there. 

  
But the chasteness was nowhere to be found. When Usopp moved his lips gently back against his, Sanji breathed in harshly through his nose as the desire for so much more boiled up inside him.  
  
He turned his head to deepen the kiss, hand weaving into Usopp’s curls, lifting one leg to put his knee on the couch next to Usopp’s thigh, pressing him back against the couch. Usopp returned the gesture eagerly, wrapping his arms around Sanji’s neck like he was holding on for his life. And why wouldn’t he have been? He’d waited and wanted too long for this, and he didn’t know when or if he’d be able to let go.  
  
Sanji’s hands were under his shirt before he knew it, pushing the fabric up to his armpits as they dragged over his chest and stomach and his mouth trailed down from his lips to his neck, where he left a trail of kisses down to his collar bone, before resting his forehead there on the top of Usopp’s heaving chest, and looking down at his body.  
  
He brought the tips of two fingers to the line of curly hair that trailed from Usopp’s navel downward, and stroked it slowly down to the hem of his pants before teasingly slipping two fingers under it and tugging upward on fabric.  
  
“Sanji…” Usopp breathed.  
  
Sanji lifted his head again and kissed Usopp’s speaking mouth passionately again, pressing their body’s together, and Usopp hard against the cushions with his own.  
  
“I like you,” Sanji whispered against his mouth, then moved to his ear. “I think you’re adorable, amazing, and _sexy_ ,” There was a slight growl in his tone on the last word that sent shivers all over Usopp’s body.  
  
“Oh god…” Was all Usopp could get out as he swallowed. This had to be a dream. Maybe he’d never woken up from that nightmare, maybe Sanji was going to turn into a giant hungry snake any minute, maybe—  “So can we have sex?” Sanji said, and Usopp’s wild imagination shut down immediately. There was something about that now that was so much more exciting than it had been last night.  
  
Usopp felt something, a confidence he hadn’t expected boiling up inside him. “Okay.” He said, and wrapped one of his thick arms around Sanji’s waist, turning him over onto his back and pushing him down on the couch.  
  
Sanji stared up at him after his head hit the cushion, wide-eyed and a little shocked at the aggression, but not disappointed in the slightest as Usopp pushed his sweatpants clad legs apart to get between them, and pulled his shirt over his head while on his knees between Sanji’s thighs.  
  
Shirtless with his hard, toned body towering over him, Sanji watched Usopp’s lips curl into a devilish little grin. “But I’m on top.” The words were accompanied victorious and impossibly sexy smirk, and in that moment Sanji wanted nothing more than to be fucked to Sniper Island and back.  He leaned up aggressively and took Usopp’s bottom lip between his teeth, tugging at it harshly as he wrapped his arms around him and pulled him down, arching his hips up to rock them together.  “Deal.” He growled eagerly against Usopp’s ear, and Usopp’s eyes nearly rolled back in his head as he realized he was making a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep.  
  
But no— he was determined to make this go well. Great, even. And at any rate, he knew Sanji would be willing to give him a few pointers. This was Sanji. His friend. The man he loved. Nothing about it right now could possibly be scary.  
  
o-o-o-o-o  
  
E P I L O G U E  
  
Usopp woke up to the feeling of being watched. The first thing he noticed as he blinked away the blurriness of having just opened his eyes was that it didn’t feel like he was in his hammock. The surface beneath him was a little uncomfortably hard, but also warm.  He opened his eyes and found four other pairs of eyes in the room. Three were on him, one was looking off to the side.  “Luffy?” Usopp grumbled sleepily. Luffy and Chopper were both staring at him with what appeared to be confusion. “What…” He remembered last night, just in time for the surface beneath him to shift.  
  
His eyes popped open the rest of the way. He was terrified to look at what was under him, especially considering the fact that he felt extremely shirtless, possibly naked, though there was a blanket on his lower half.  “This isn’t what it looks like!” Usopp flailed desperately to emphasize his words. Chopper and Luffy didn’t move, but Franky’s head tilted to one side as if in disbelief. Zoro’s eyes were fixed on the wall.  
  
“I mean it!” Usopp insisted. “You have completely the wrong idea!” He continued to shout.  
  
No one moved, or said a word. They just kept looking. Except Zoro.  
  
“Stop staring!” He snapped at them, and that’s when he heard Sanji make a soft humming sound from beneath him.  
  
“Don’t start yelling so early in the morning,” he said, and Usopp tensed as his arms slithered around his neck, and he leaned up to kiss Usopp’s cheek. Zoro was looking now.  “What are you looking at, pervy Marimo?” Sanji frowned in his direction.  
  
“Don’t call _me_ that in this situation!” Zoro bit back, arms crossed harshly across his chest. He sighed, considering what he was witnessing. “Anyway, this better not cause any drama for the crew between you—,” He was cut off by lip smacking noises and opened his eyes to see that Sanji appeared to be suckling and biting on Usopp’s jawline.  
  
“Stop that, Eyebrow!” He thrusted a harsh finger in their direction. Usopp looked mildly terrified, and Sanji just smirked happily and kissed gently at the spot he’d been nibbling on.  
  
Luffy titled his head, frowning as he blinked. “Did Sanji and Usopp get married?”  
  
Chopper gasped with excitement. “Did they?” He said, grinning. He’d always loved the way weddings sounded in books! _Music! Dancing! Cake!_ Then he frowned… if they were already married, then… “Did I miss it?” He wondered sadly.  
  
“What’s with that old-fashioned assumption!?” Usopp barked at them. “You guys should leave!”  
  
“Sanji! Breakfast!” Luffy whined, flailing as he stomped his foot. “Let him go, Usopp! He needs to make food!”  
  
“I’m not holding anyone anywhere,” Usopp protested.  
  
“Just head to the galley, I’ll make something quick when I get there,” Sanji said, more seriously. “All of you,” He looked to Franky, who was still looking on with what may have been criticism, and Zoro, who was pouting harshly at the wall again.  
  
“Right.” Franky took the initiative. “We’ll leave you two alone in your nest.” A grin stretched across his face as he turned to leave, raising a giant hand to give them a wave.  
  
“To the kitchen!” Luffy announced, thrusting a fist toward the exit before racing out. Chopper followed after him quickly, and Zoro sighed, grumbling something under his breath as he went too.  
  
Zoro was considerate enough to shut the door behind him, and the room grew a little darker. Now there was an romantically dim light.  
  
“So you don’t care that they know?” Usopp asked, a little more seriously.  
  
“They saw.” Sanji shrugged. “Not really anything we could have said at that point. Maybe if it had just been Chopper and Luffy, but with the shitty swordsman and Franky…” He idly played with Usopp’s curls as he spoke.  Usopp sighed, supposing he was right. It wasn’t like it would have been very much fun to hide it from the crew anyway. Still, it came out a lot quicker than he’d expected. At least they seemed to have taken it well.  
  
“Guess I should go.” Sanji said, and Usopp looked down at him. He had one arm folded behind his head, hair falling in his face just like it always did, but a lot messier. Usopp had done that.  
  
He loved seeing Sanji like this.  
  
“Or you could do something for yourself for once…” He said, smiling playfully as he adjusted himself on top and pulled the blanket up to his neck as he lay back down on top of him. “…and stay here just a little longer.” He rested his head on Sanji’s chest, and Sanji frowned at him.  
  
Usopp was grinning from ear to ear, and he let out a little victorious laugh. He felt so far beyond euphoric.  
  
“You’re going to be the death of me.” Sanji heaved a sigh. He had work to do, responsibilities, but no part of him wanted to get up from this.  
  
Usopp huffed, and turned his head sideways to rest it on Sanji’s chest. “That’s what I used to say about you.”  
  
He felt Sanji laugh gently underneath him, then settle, and lift one hand to place it lightly on Usopp’s back. They lay like that quietly for a few quiet moments, before Usopp shifted uncomfortably.  
  
“I’m hungry.” He mumbled, and Sanji grinned widely.  
  
“Kay. Let’s go.”  
  
E N D

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it to some degree! Thanks for reading, and if you want me to blush and roll around like a Chopper, even the smallest comment will have that effect.


End file.
